Consumer electronics

Better user experience is the main driver for consumer electronics

The consumer electronics sector is undoubtedly one of the areas that will see the largest growth within M2M and the Internet of Things opportunity through the development of new products, greater customer engagement and collaboration with vertical industry sectors to provide compelling new services. Connectivity will become an integral part of our homes and daily lives and we are clearly only in the very early days of the Internet of Things when it comes to consumer electronics.

With the rapid change created by the the mobile web and the global uptake of smartphones, tablet computers and other similar devices, consumers are beginning to expect a similar level of functionality from other consumer electronic products. Sensor applications are making their way into our everyday lives, through solutions such as personal tracking devices and wellness products that enable remote monitoring of sensor statuses such as location, blood pressure and glucose levels. For the home appliances market segment the focus is on the manufacturers and distributors of products that require connectivity. These products are typically qualified as home automation or domotics.

Unleashing the full potential of connectivity in the consumer electronics industry requires the use of transparent out-of-the-box connectivity. WiFi-enabled products always struggle to become truly mainstream, because of the complexity involving in connecting devices to the network. SIGFOX makes connectivity transparent and thus ultimately makes it easier for connected devices to be adoptable by the general public, with only very little impact on the cost of these products. An area such as white goods is set to evolve from being product oriented, with no real loyalty mechanism, to being service oriented based upon regular interaction with the consumer.

As mentioned by Karim Houni from the SEB Group: "When it comes to daily life products, like domestic appliances, SIGFOX UNB network won’t be of any help pushing HD video for step-by-step recipes. But this long range, low rate, low cost connection could be the assistant sought by business technologists to create a better link with customers eager to have an always fully functional appliance." (source M2M Now)